David Axelrod

Director, The University of Chicago Institute of Politics

David Axelrod is a preeminent American political strategist and commentator and the former chief strategist and senior advisor to President Barack Obama. Axelrod currently serves as the founding director of the University of Chicago’s nonpartisan Institute of Politics and as a senior political commentator for CNN. He is the host of the Axe Files, a top-rated podcast featuring in-depth conversations with public gures across the political spectrum. A televised version of the show airs monthly on CNN. A former political writer for the Chicago Tribune, Axelrod produced me- dia strategy and advertising for 150 campaigns across the U.S., culminating in President Obama’s historic elections. Axelrod is also the author of The New York Times best-selling memoir, “Believer: My Forty Years in Politics.”

The Mission of The McCain Institute at ASU is to advance leadership based on security, economic opportunity, freedom, and human dignity, in the United States and around the world.